A. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method of assembling X-ray detectors, and more particularly, to a method of aligning an X-ray beam collimator to a linear array X-ray detector
B. Background Discussion
An X-ray inspection system is comprised of hardware for manipulating parts, generating X-rays and detecting X-rays, hardware for information transmission and computation, software for controlling the X-ray image system and performing computations. Parts are carried into an X-ray machine by a multistation conveyor. An operator loads parts onto the conveyor which are held to the conveyor by a gripper. When the conveyor advances to an inspection station, a numerically controlled part manipulator grasps the gripper and part and moves the part into the X-ray beam. Moving the part vertically through the X-ray beam, a linear array X-ray detector measures the intensity of the X-ray beam for producing a digital fluoroscopy image of the part. A computed tomography image is taken of the part by rotating the part 360 degrees about the vertical axis. After collecting the data, the part manipulator moves the part and gripper to the conveyor belt where the computer system moves the gripper and part to an unload station.
The detector is a linear array detector having individual detector elements in a linear array across the face of the detector. A collimator across the front of the detector prevents scattered radiation from reaching the detector elements. To obtain a maximum signal on all the detector elements, it is necessary to align the center of the collimator vertically and horizontally to the center of the linear array detector.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a method for aligning an X-ray detector collimator to a linear array X-ray detector for producing a maximum signal on all detector elements.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for aligning the center of the X-ray beam collimator to the center detector element of the linear detector array.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a unified assembly for X-ray beam collimator and linear array detector for preventing movement of the collimator with respect to the linear detector array.